Paper Plate Pig Craft
What you need:
1 paper plate
Red and white paint
Paintbrushes
Pink or white construction paper (for ears and nose)
Large wiggly eyes (2)
Black marker
Glue stick or liquid glue
Paint palette or plastic plate
Scissors (pre-cut shapes optional for younger children)
Learning Goals and Standards:
- Learn how to mix red and white to make pink
- Strengthen fine motor skills through painting, gluing, and drawing
- Follow step-by-step instructions to complete a creative project
- Practice identifying and naming facial features (eyes, nose, mouth)
Preparations:
Add white and red paint to a plate for each child together with a paintbrush.
What you do:
Circle Time Color Talk (5 minutes)
Begin by asking:
“What color is a pig? That’s right—pink! But guess what? We can make pink ourselves!”
Let children help you mix red and white paint on a tray to discover the color pink.
“Let’s mix a little red... and a little white... what do we get?”
Encourage them to observe and react.
2. Painting the Pig Face (10 minutes)
Give each child a paper plate. Let them use their freshly mixed pink paint to cover the entire front of the plate.
“This will be your pig’s face—make sure you cover all the white!”
Set plates aside to dry briefly.
3. Assembling the Pig Features (10–15 minutes)
Once the plates are dry (or dry enough to work with):
- Glue on the wiggly eyes near the top of the plate.
- Glue the pig’s nose (oval or circle shape) near the center.
- Draw two little black nostrils on the nose using the marker.
- Glue the ears (triangles or rounded shapes) to the top edge of the plate.
- Draw a big happy smile under the nose.
“Let’s give our pig a silly or sweet face!”
4. Wrap-Up & Display (5 minutes)
Have children hold up their pigs and say:
“Oink oink! Look at my pig!”
Talk about how they made the color pink and what steps they followed. Hang the pigs on the wall or set up a “pig pen” gallery!
Optional Extensions:
Add paper curl tails to the back using pink paper and a pencil.
Pair with a storytime reading of The Three Little Pigs.
Let children name their pigs and introduce them to the class.